CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (KXXV) — Two NASA astronauts are finally headed back to Earth after being stranded in space for more than nine months due to a failed Boeing test flight.
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams departed the International Space Station early Tuesday aboard a SpaceX capsule, joined by two other astronauts. If the weather permits, the spacecraft will be undocked in the early morning and will come off the Florida coast by early evening.
The pair initially launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule last spring for what was supposed to be a short test mission. However, multiple technical issues left them marooned at the space station, extending their stay beyond its intended duration. NASA ultimately returned them on a reliable SpaceX Crew Dragon while engineers continued troubleshooting Boeing’s spacecraft.
NASA officials expressed relief that Wilmore and Williams are finally coming home and said they remain committed to resolving the Starliner’s technical challenges before its next crewed flight.
This return marks the conclusion of one of NASA’s longest and most unexpected space station missions. The agency continues working with Boeing and SpaceX to maintain reliable crewed spaceflight.
